Penn State Undergraduate Education

Our most popular post from 2023 included photos from Rock the Ice, a signature event that is part of Penn State's Welcome Week planned by .

✨In 2024, posts of photos were once again our top performing followed by content highlighting events like tie dying and stuff-a-plush, letting Penn Staters know where to get school supplies, where to eat in downtown State College according to the OTEAM, and which course was about (shared 438 times!👀).

Our top post from August 21, 2024 has nearly 400 likes, 64 shares, and 50 saves with over 20,850 views reaching more than 14,600 Instagram followers driving 321 profile visits and 89 new followers.

To close out 2024, we're giving you more of what you love: Welcome Week photos!!! 🐾Tag your friends.

We'll see you in 2025!

The Division of Undergraduate Studies hosted the 2024 Penn State Conference on Academic Advising with in-person sessions at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center on Thur., Sept. 26.

The day opened with a keynote from Gabe Bermea who shared transformative strategies from minority serving institutions meant to empower students to succeed.💡

🧩Breakout sessions followed with a variety of engaging discussions focused on equity, adviser training, supporting specific demographics like transfer or international students, and how to more effectively use tools like Starfish.

After lunch, attendees had the opportunity to follow-up with Gabe or to join in on discussions about advising communications, virtual advising, or mental health.🗨️

This annual event is a wonderful opportunity to bring colleagues together to share ideas and forge the connections necessary to improve advising for students at and beyond. 🗓️If you haven't attended this event remotely or in person, we hope you consider joining us in 2025!

It's finally time for a break, Penn Staters!🍂 Winter weather might be here but we are still reminiscing on those warm October days.

This time of year is full of commitments, activities, and deadlines. We hope you have a moment to relax over the week ahead and prepare to finish the semester strong.

🐾 See you when you return!

On Nov. 7, the   community came together to recognize and celebrate those that are the first in their families to graduate with a bachelor's degree.

First-Gen Community Night, hosted by , featured food, raffle giveaways, awards for first-gen students and their biggest champions as well as other interactive activities.

🎤 The highlight of the evening was the open mic where dozens of first-gen students shared a bit of their story and what being first-gen means to them. First-gen students are trailblazers, pioneers, and leaders. ✨There is no challenge too great, and nothing first-gen Penn Staters can't do!

💬 "If not us, then who?" – Penn State first-gen student

📸 Photos by  

 

Undergraduate Education sends a 'We Are!' to Heather Atkinson undergraduate studies adviser in the Division of Undergraduate Studies!

“Thanks to Heather, DUS students connect with disability accommodations sooner, advisers have a network to share strategies on academic recovery, and Starfish is always growing to support advisers and students in new ways. Thank you, Heather, for being such an inventive, driven and caring colleague!” – Heather's nominator

🗞️ Read more 'We Are' features in Penn State News at psu.edu/news (linked in our bio).

Just a couple of months ago Penn Staters gathered together on August 24 for President's New Student Convocation at the Bryce Jordan Center. ✨In the sea of colorful shirts were many smiling faces as new first-year students enjoyed inspiring talks and performances.

We hope you can bring the warm fuzzy feelings of and other Welcome Week events to the last couple months of the fall 2024 semester because we are entering the final stretch!

🔗Use the links in our bio to find the resources you need based on where you currently are on your academic journey.  

📸Photos from the 2024 Convocation event by .

On Friday, Sept. 13, celebrated the promotions of 254 teaching, research, library, and clinical faculty. ✨

The evening kicked off in the new 1855 Club at the Bryce Jordan Center with hors d'oeuvres shared by family members and other guests, congratulatory cheers between long-time colleagues, and first-time handshakes as people mingled over the social hour.

The event continued with a welcome address from associate dean and executive director for , Angela Linse; and celebratory remarks from president, Neeli Bendapudi; interim executive vice president and provost, Tracy Langkilde; senior vice provost and interim dean ofUndergraduate Education, Kathy Bieschke; and senior vice president for research, Andrew Read.

Congratulations to all faculty that received promotions!! 👏 We thank you for your expertise, passion, and service. 

The 2024 Celebration of Teaching, Research, Library, and Clinical Faculty Promotions event is hosted by the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost and co-hosted by the Office of the Senior Vice President for Research and Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence.

Do you know that October is ? Students and faculty can check out Penn State's new academic integrity resources at integrity.psu.edu. As written in University policy G-9, section 49-20, “Academic integrity is a basic guiding principle for all academic activity at , and all members of the University community are expected to act in accordance with this principle.”

The module reviews the definition of academic integrity and helps Penn Staters be able to:

– Define academic integrity

– List reasons for adhering to principles of academic integrity

– Describe ways to avoid plagiarism

– Identify behaviors that are considered intentional copying

– List ways to avoid academic integrity violations when collaborating in groups

– Identify examples of unauthorized study aids

– Outline the procedure and consequences of academic integrity violations

No matter the time of year, your academic adviser is here to support and guide you through your college experience. 

Over the summer, the Division of Undergraduate Studies joined Penn State faculty and staff across the Commonwealth in welcoming new students for New Student Orientation (NSO). DUS held info sessions for both parents and students, then consultations for students to discuss their plans with an adviser and set schedules for their first semester ofcollege. 

In just the first five days of the fall 2024 semester, advisers met with over 1,400 students! 

If you have questions, concerns, or exciting ideas, reach out to your adviser and take full advantage of the community around you.

Instructors will be invited to provide crucial early feedback to their   undergrad students during the Starfish early indicators progress survey from Sept. 9–18.

🗓️Starting Sept. 9, instructors will receive an email prompting them to complete progress surveys for their full-semester undergraduate courses, numbered 499 and below.

“With the help of the University’s academic advisers and others in a student’s network, we are seeing how instructor interventions early in the semester and during midterms can help undergraduates achieve more successful outcomes in their courses.” – David Smith, associate dean for advising and executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies

Read more about  's Starfish progress survey at psu.edu/news (linked in bio).   

There is less than a week until the Student Engagement Network grant program opens for fall 2024 applications!

📆 The application opens on Mon., August 19, and closes on Sun., Sept. 8.

Find details on how to get the funds to support an out-of-classroom learning experience at sen.psu.edu (link in bio).